$4 million in federal funding arrives for 38 local housing units for vulnerable people

Sault MP Terry Sheehan announced over $4 million in federal government funding Thursday for three separate housing projects for vulnerable people - especially women and their children - in the Sault and area.

The funding from the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) announced by Sheehan outside City Council chambers at the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre includes:

• $2.4 million for eight new homes at the Frontenac Street Townhouse Development owned and operated by Batchewana First Nation
• $1.3 million for the Sacred Heart project, a 22-unit development located at the Community Resource Centre at 721 Wellington Street East, owned and operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Housing Corporation
• $266,637 for eight living spaces for Pauline’s Place within the former Steelton Senior Citizens Centre at 235 Wellington Street West, owned and operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Housing Corporation

“We have seen the tragic outcomes of domestic violence in our community for too long. It is vital that we ensure that women who make the brave choice to leave dangerous situations have a safe place for them and their children to go,” Sheehan told an audience of local housing officials gathered at Thursday’s announcement.

“As well, this funding will help support other vulnerable people such as homeless people or people that are near homeless. That is absolutely critical,” Sheehan said.

The Rapid Housing Initiative is part of the federal government’s National Housing Strategy (NHS), an $82 billion plan launched in 2020 to address Canada’s housing needs.

“Like many communities across the province, homelessness in our community is a growing, complex challenge driven by factors like housing affordability, mental health issues and addictions. These units provide more than shelter. They offer a foundation for growth, recovery and prosperity,” said Stephanie Hopkin, District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) board chair.  

The eight transition units at Pauline’s Place are the result of a refit, designed to help women with children facing homelessness or domestic violence.

Those women will be assisted by DSSAB’s homelessness prevention team in finding long-term housing solutions.

The Sacred Heart project at the Community Resource Centre is aimed at helping men facing homelessness.

“We knew that we needed to either add or refit the infrastructure we currently have to address the growing needs of the community,” Hopkin told reporters after Thursday’s funding announcement.

The transitional women’s and men’s units are already currently occupied by clients, Hopkin said.

Those in need of transitional housing can visit the DSSAB office, Pauline’s Place or the Canadian Mental Health Association for help.

The Homelessness Prevention Team is also actively working in the downtown core.

“The need always continues,” Hopkin said.

“We really need adequate resources to make sure we have people housed and well. For Pauline’s Place we understood that there was a high need for mothers and their children to access safe units that were designed for families and we knew that we had to do some work refitting the current shelter to meet those needs from a physical layout standpoint for safety and privacy. That was a big need that we got addressed through this funding.” 

“With the support of the new Community Resource Centre, those 22 transitional (men’s) units helped to move folks out of the temporary shelter that was at the Verdi. This was really great news for the community overall because it gave us a more permanent structure for us to have bridge units for those experiencing homelessness,” Hopkin said.

“A diverse housing supply meets the needs of our diverse population. Our community includes individuals and families at different stages of their lives with varying financial situations,” said Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker.

“With support from the federal government as we’ve gotten today through the Rapid Housing Initiative we are celebrating this excellent announcement for both the Sault Ste. Marie Housing Corporation and Batchewana First Nation which will help us address our housing crisis,” Shoemaker said.

Sheehan said he will continue meeting with Housing Minister Sean Fraser to secure additional funding to house the Sault’s growing population and that he anticipates more funding announcements for Sault housing in the future.

“We’re going to continue to see this kind of collaboration and this kind of growth because it’s absolutely critical that somebody has a roof over their head and you need a mix of housing units as well. You need affordable housing, you need apartments, you need houses, it’s a whole suite,” Sheehan said.